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Wednesday, 20 July 2016

My Husbands wife - Amanda Prowse - Emotional

My Review

There’s no doubt about it, author Amanda Prowse has a very specific talent for creating the most utterly believable characters. She introduces you to people that you cannot help but feel an affinity and kinship with and in this her latest book in creating Rosie Tipcott she has really excelled herself…

Rosie is your typical everyday happily married Mum of 2 very lively daughters Leona and Naomi. Her life is great, she has everything she ever wanted – a cosy home, husband Phil whom she adores, a great best mate Mel, even her in-laws are wonderful. Who can boast a loving mother in law who completely fills the gap of not even having known your own Mum. OK her job cleaning caravans isn’t the exciting life of a travel agent she once dreamt of, but her boss is fair, her best mate works there too and she certainly isn’t unhappy in her work.

Living by the seaside in Woolacombe we are invited along to sit with her on her favourite bench overlooking the sea where she goes when she needs a little “me time” time to think, and I swear I sat beside her on that bench and felt the sea breeze caress my face as I joined Rosie inhaling the faint aroma of apples which to her signify that the Mother she never knew is close by.

Wouldn’t we be fortunate if we could claim such contentment and completeness?

Wouldn’t we crumble if it were all ripped away from us?

Well it is, and she does!

I’m not giving away any spoilers here when I reveal that Rosie’s comfortable and satisfying life is about to be blown to smithereens by a totally selfish and unbelievably callous act, when her lovely caring husband suddenly announces that he’s off, leaving Rosie, the girls and the family home for another woman.

I don’t think I’ll be alone when I say that from this point on I went through the emotional wringer with Rosie. Really, I mean honestly, I experienced such a gamut of emotions I was quite exhausted by the time I’d finished the book! Because when things go wrong they go from bad to worse – I’m welling up here even writing this because Rosie was REAL, I loved her, I wanted to be her friend and BOY did she need one. When people all around her let her down, and hurt her and frankly treated her like shit, I went from deep indignation to feeling incandescent with rage I was SO angry.

I had to keep putting the book down and having a break from reading it as I became so emotionally involved the storyline kept inducing near panic attacks in me. I genuinely had palpitations and began to shake. I won’t say any more about what and how many things go wrong and what horrible spineless creatures some characters turn out to be you can find all that out when you read My Husband’s wife.

This is a FANTASTIC book, but don’t go into it expecting a light and fluffy chick lit romance. It’s a deeply emotive and pretty dark look at a woman’s descent into despair and eventual breakdown and it’s NOT easy to watch. It’s about family and friends and never really knowing what goes on in other people’s minds and how fickle and feckless some folk can be. It is enlivened by the girls who are wonderfully refreshing and their antics brought many a smile to my face. They are completely innocently caught up in the backwash of this breakdown of a marriage and I was saddened by their involvement.

The Blurb

She thought she was a wife and mother. Then her husband and children left home. Who is she now? The new bestseller from Amanda Prowse.

Once a week, Rosie Tipcott counts her blessings.

She goes to sit on her favourite bench on the north Devon cliffs, and thanks her lucky stars for her wonderful husband, her mischievous young daughters, and her neat little house by the sea. She vows to dedicate every waking hour to making her family happy.

But then her husband unexpectedly leaves her for another woman and takes the children. Now she must ask the question: what is left in her life? Can Rosie find the strength to rebuild herself? More importantly, does she even want to?

WELCOME TO MY WORLD OF BOOKS

Hello and welcome to my book blog. I hope you enjoy reading my reviews of books I've enjoyed.

I'm happy to consider advance review copies of new novels, in particular, literary historical fiction. I like thought provoking novels with an interesting female protagonist and have a particular penchant for pioneering women.